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Monday, December 15, 2008

Chocolate Olive Oil Crinkle Cookies

I was hoping these cookies would spread a little more in the oven so the cracks would be more well-defined. I was not impressed when I took them out of the oven but I changed my mind after I tried one of them. Leave them a little underbaked and they will taste rich and chocolately like a brownie bite. Chocolate and olive oil work surprisingly well together. Choose a fruity olive oil for these cookies and it will enhance the intense chocolate flavors. And for the health conscious, these cookies, made with heart-healthy dark chocolate and olive oil, are actually good for you! The olive oil is a big selling point with Steven's mom because I know she's scared of all the butter I use in my baking.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heat proof bowl, either using a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Add the olive oil, sugar, and instant espresso powder to the chocolate and whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until the flour is just incoporated. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Add the confectioners sugar to a shallow bowl.

Use a spoon to roll a tablespoon of the dough into a ball. Roll the ball in confectioner's sugar, make sure to cover all the sides. After all of the dough is rolled and covered in sugar, use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the balls slightly.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees halfway into baking. The cookies will crack in the oven. When they are ready, they shoudl still look shiny and slightly wet in the cracks. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.